As the world cautiously emerges from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry is experiencing a remarkable resurgence. The latest World Tourism Barometer, published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), paints a positive picture, revealing that approximately 790 million tourists traveled internationally between January and July 2024. This represents an impressive 11% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and sits just 4% below the numbers recorded in 2019, before the pandemic struck.
This data signifies that global tourism has nearly reached pre-pandemic levels, underscoring a strong and sustained recovery in a sector that was among the hardest hit by the pandemic. This rebound can be attributed to several key factors: increased demand for international travel, the reopening of crucial markets in Asia and the Pacific, and the easing of visa restrictions.
The resurgence of tourism in regions like Europe, the world’s largest tourism market, along with the booming recovery in the Middle East, has further propelled global travel demand. The UNWTO’s World Tourism Barometer offers a comprehensive overview of the global tourism landscape during the first seven months of 2024. The data showcases a robust start to the year, especially in Europe and Asia, although the second quarter saw a more modest growth rate. Despite ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges, this pattern aligns with the UNWTO’s projections for a complete recovery in international tourism arrivals by the end of 2024.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UNWTO, expressed optimism about the sector’s recovery, highlighting the resilience of the global tourism industry. “International tourism is on track to consolidate its full recovery from the biggest crisis in the sector’s history. The ongoing rebound comes despite a range of economic and geopolitical challenges, highlighting the strong demand for international travel,” Pololikashvili said.
While the tourism recovery has been positive, it hasn’t been uniform across all regions. In terms of relative growth, the Middle East emerged as the strongest performer, with international arrivals surpassing 2019 levels by 26% in the first seven months of 2024. This remarkable growth is attributed to increased air connectivity, major global events, and the easing of travel restrictions that made the region more accessible.
Europe remains a key driver of global tourism, recovering 99% of its pre-pandemic international arrivals in the first seven months of 2024. As the world’s most visited region, Europe benefited from strong demand for leisure travel, cultural tourism, and business events. The reopening of major destinations, particularly in Southern and Western Europe, has bolstered the recovery, with tourists flocking to popular spots like France, Spain, Italy, and Greece.
Asia and the Pacific, while lagging behind other regions, have shown significant improvement, recovering 82% of its pre-pandemic tourism levels by July 2024. This region, which includes major tourism markets like China, Japan, and Australia, has benefited from the reopening of borders and the gradual return of international flights. By the middle of the year, tourism levels in Asia reached 85% of 2019 figures in June and 86% in July, signaling that the region is on a strong upward trajectory.
In 2024, 67 out of 120 global destinations tracked by the UNWTO reported a full recovery in international arrivals, matching or surpassing their 2019 levels. These countries, among others, have demonstrated the increasing desire for cultural exploration, adventure tourism, and sustainable travel, which have become key drivers of tourism growth.
